Performing maintenance on a power line is an inherently dangerous occupation. Linemen are forced to perform repairs on power lines while suspended hundreds of feet above the ground. To compound this danger, birds frequently do not see the power line and can crash into the power line or the lineman. This poses a threat to both the linemen and the birds. Further, because power lines are suspended hundreds of feet in the air, they can pose a threat to aerial vehicles as well as wildlife. Traditionally, the lineman has to manually mount an aerial diverter onto the power line. This poses a problem because the lineman is forced to work on the power line before the aerial diver is actually placed. Thus, leaving the lineman vulnerable to collision with an airborne object.
The present invention, the robotically assisted power line aerial diverter mounting tool, addresses this issue by enabling aerial diverters to be mounted onto the power line by a UAV. This functionality enables the lineman to remain on the ground while the UAV mounts the aerial diverter onto the power line. Additionally, embodiments of the present invention are designed to enable the UAV to mount various pieces of equipment onto the powerline. Thus, reducing the amount of time the lineman must physically interact with the power line. Thereby, limiting the amount of time the lineman is exposed to danger from electrocution, collision or falling.